Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-08-13
UNDER THE GROUND.
A VISIT TO KENTUckY'S WONDER,
MAMMOTH CAVE.
a Raaoe No snake Has Ever Visited,
Nor Mosquito; Nor Is There sunshine
There but All These Are Plentiful
Near At Hand.

Nor M0oquuo. nor Is Inere sunshine
There - But All These Are Plentiful
Near 1T Hand.
SPECIAL Correspondeneel
MAMMOTH CAVE, Ky, Aug 9-What q
pity it Is this summer resort is not a few hun
dred miles nearer the center Of population.
There Is no summer resort like 1t in all the
land. The country is msrvelously beautiful,
though dry aud hot, The leaves have wilted
under the suns fierce rays, and every foot
fall stirs up small cloud Of fine, warm dust.
The mercury rises % the limit and induces
feeling Of discomfort which even the IA
nous julep here compounded in all its fra
grant glory fails to relieve. The grass is
green under the many trees surround
ing the picturesque old hotel, and the
verandas are swept by gentle breezes But
musquitoes abound, and there are rattle
snakes in the grass The guests Of the old inn
abbor both the insect and the reptile, and
early in the morning seek an avenue Of es
cape from the many evils which beset them.
In this matchless summer resort there Is
spot where no musquito ever buzzed, where
no snake was ever seen or heard, where no
sun ever xhone or summer heat penetrated.
Il Is down in the cave. Immediately after
breakfast the guests assemble at one end of
the long hotel The men are attired in their
customary garments, but the women have
put on odd looking hloomer gowns which
make walking and climbing less difficult for
them than when in skirts. Each guest seizes
an oil hanging lamp made OF tin and wire,
vrh q metal guard to protect the hand from
the fame. All form in line behind a smart
looking colored man, William the guide"
in rnh of >,,ytps s0ys md
wonder Is bsgun-
Out through . rose garden, down a sinuous
path into . deep and picturesque ravine the
procession winds. presently halting before a
black and grewsome hole. 1t is the entrance
TO Mammoth cave Already the visitors
fssl theesoling influence of this famous curl
osify. Chills, originating in vague appre-
hsnsivenes, chase each other up and down
scores Of spinal columns. A woman rebels
against her husbands authority, steps out of
the line, ana declares that she wouldn't go
into that hole for all the world" He, unfeel-
ing, eager brute that he is, hires colored
man 70 escort her back to the hotel, and
sumes his place in the line. A young man from
Boston inquirs Of the guide if it is all dark
down in the cave. and amid the tittering of
his neighbors declares that he never would
have come q step had he supposed the cave
was totally devoid Of daylight. But now the
lamps have been lighted, the colored man
cria out 'All ready-march~ and the jour
ney into the bowels of the earth begins.
II Is a noble vestibule which nature has
placed at the entrance to this wonderful cav
ern. Amid tulip trees, graIe vines, naples
and butternutS, fringing ferris and green
moses is the gateway 70 this underground
palace Here tree roots have twisted them
selves into fantastic shapes, and from the
rocks overhead q tiny cascade, fed by springs,
falls continually into the gorge below. The
descent is no sooner begun than the visitors
feei . current Of cool air rushing out TO greet
them This is the caves greeting-a pleasant
forerunner of the depths within. Down,
down walk the explorers, their feet finding
6rm stepping places in the rocky stairway,
and the long line Of moving lamps making Il
pleasing picture for those who remain behind
Soon . straight, low gallery is reached.
where the walls are no more than ten
feet apart, and the roof SO low
that tall men find it necessary to stoop. Here
the guide halts his wards, and as the visitors
one by one struggle up they are surprised to
find before them a heavy gate, securely fas-
tened by q big paddock This is the inner
gate to the underground palace, the place
where the tolls are collected and the visiting
parties finally organized Here each visitor
desiring TO take the long route" within must
pay eS to the agent of the caves owners,
vhile those who wish TO take only the short
route are let of with e.. These prelimina-
ries being arranged, the big gate is opened,
and, with . chorus Of merry cries, the ex-
piorers are about to spring forward to begin
their journey in earnest, when another halt